THE END OF VIETNAM!


  • Nixon promises "peace with honor" in Vietnam
  • way he was ganna do it was Vietnamization: Nixon's policy for winding down the war: troops withdrawn, training and equipment given to south vietnamese- by 1972, only 24,2000 troops remained.
  • in pulling the troops out bombing raids increase! hurt supply lines of North vietnam- bombing expanded to other countries- laos and cambodia-he would do anything to win the war!
  • US ground forces to invade Cambodia! in the spring of 1970. Nixon tells on national TV
  • causes protests to increase against the war
  • In Ohio- the protests turned DEADLY!
  • Students at college got killed for protesting! some that were shot weren't even protesting!
  • Nixon loses support from the public and congress
  • THE PENTAGON PAPERS! the gov had investigated itself to find out what they have done and what they told the public: found out that they were two different things! the gov does not want the public to know! But New York got a hold of it- president said no- goes to court! They are released in the pentagon papers!
  • nixon is getting better relations between china and USSA
  • peace talks- 1972:
  • 1972- PEACE IS AT HAND!
  • nixon wins the election!!!! because peace is at hand
  • Christmas time bombing in north vietnam! kills TONS of civilians. Also, 15 US bombers were shot down! only 1 was shot down before! war is def not almost over!
  • Jan 27, 1973: Nixon went on TV and told everyone that there is an agreement reached on ending the war and restoring peace in Vietnam. Paris Peace Accords- done in paris for the peace agreement!
  • agreement: war over and all POWS would be sent home.
  • important because the POW MIA have not been treated like they were supposed to. Against Veniva Protocal. they were TORTURED at the hotels!
  • These people developed a way to communicate! the taps codes! Everyone knew it and it was them speaking
  • not all POWS came home and people believe that some are still there
  • When these soldiers came home they were treated amazingly
  • 1975: NORTH VIETNAM ATTACKS- SAIGON FALLS-VIETNAM IS REUNITED UNDER COMMUNISM
  • Americans still in vietnam: got sent home
  • AMERICA LOST: DIDN'T STOP THE SPREAD OF COMMUNISM: THEY WON EVERY BATTLE THOUGH
LECACY:
  • in southeast Asia
  • 1.5 million vietnamese deaths
  • countless vietnamese civilians wounded, homeless
  • agrarian society in shambles
  • southeast Asia left highly unstable
  • Cambodia fell to communism after terror
  • POL POT TAKES OVER! extreme genocide guy
  • Pol Pot killed the educated, Dr.s, kids of Dr.s, the poor, people who opposed: They killed and tortured them in these camps: EXTREME TORTURE!

AMERICA COPES:
  • 58,000 americans killed
  • 6 more names added to the wall
  • 365,000 wounded
  • 150 bil in direct costs
  • US attempts to come to grips with a loss- blow to self-esteem
  • leads to extreme struggle in the 1970s

MAJOR CHANGES:
  • no more drafts: government abolishes: you still have to register
  • war powers act: gov can not fight an undeclared war: limited power of president
  • altered American foreign policy
  • makes americans not want to get into vietnam

DISILLUSIONMENT:
  • treated poorly: called sometimes baby killers
  • people opposed the soldiers because they didn't like the war
  • veterans extended a cold hand
  • some veterans suffered from stress
  • many citizens embittered toward government
  • entire generation of americans war affected
  • when the wall was made: they got their parade: helped